Material handling apparatus



. `Fuly 10, 193% H. F. vlcKERs 1,965,858. l

MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS e@ "MM July 10, 1934. I F- yVlCKERs r1,965,868

MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS Filed May 21. 195o s sheets-sheet` 2 3 Sheets-Sheei 3 H. F. VICKERS Filed May 2l, 1930 MATERIL HANDLING APPARATUS my 10, 1934.A

Patented July 10, 11934 l PATENT' OFFICE UNITED 'STATES This invention relates, generally, to material handling apparatus and has particular reference to apparatus suitable for embodiment in or applicationto a heat treating furnace, or the like. It is a general object of this invention to provide an apparatus for handling matrialin a furnace. or the like, so that it is advanced. through the furnace automatically at a predetermined rate.`

The apparatus or device provided by this inventionis useful, generally, for handling material or objects andis particularly useful and practical in handling material in a furnace, or the like. For the purpose of making a disclosure of a typical application of the vention I will set forth a formof the invention designed particularly for a. heat treating furnace and designed to handle bars or lengths of shafting, or the like.

-It is to be understood, of course, that the broader principles of the invention are not to be construed as limited to the details hereinafter set forth.

It is a general object of this invention to provide a material handling apparatus for a furnace, or the like, in which the principal elements are operated hydraulically.

Another object of this invention is to provide apparatus of the character mentioned in which there is a material advancing or moving element such as a rack operable vertically and horizontally, the vertical movement being effected through one fluid pressure actuated mechanism and the horizontal movement being eiiected through another iiuid pressure actuated mechanism.

It is a further object of this invention to provide apparatus of the character just mentioned in which the two fluid pressure actuated mechanisms are related or interconnected to cooperate so that 40 they function successively, one being put into operation at the completion of an operation of the other.

It is a further object of the invention to provide vapparatus of the character mentioned in which the fluid pressure actuated mechanisms are con,-l nected in combination with means for supplying an actuating uid,the said mechanisms and the said means constituting a unit which operates through one complete cycle to cause a denite advance of material in the furnace upon being set in operation. A Itis another object of this invention to provide a control for apparatus -of the character mentioned operable to put the parts above mentioned into operation at denite timed intervals or in means (not shown).

ldefinite timed relation to other machines or apparatus.

The various objects and features of my invention will be nbest and more fully understood from the following detailed description of a typical form and application of the invention, through- A out which description reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal detailed sectional view of a typical type of heat treating furnace embodying the apparatus provided by this invention, the section being taken to facilitatelillustration of the parts provided by the invention. Fig. 2 is a detailed transverse sectional view taken as indicated byline 2 -2 on Fig. 1. Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 70 are. enlarged detailed views illustrating the material handling parts of the apparatus, vbeing views showing the manner in which objects such as rods are handled so that they are turned or rotated as they are advanced through the furnace, and Fig."1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the various elements of the invention and showing the manner in which they are interconnected.

The furnace illustrated in the drawings is of more or less common form and construction in 80 that it is a horizontal furnace including a bottom or base 10, sides 11, a top 12, a frontend 13, .and a rear end 14. Th'e various parts just mentioned form a horizontal chamber 15 for carrying heating elements; burners, or other heat generating The yfront end 13 of th'e furnace is provided with a suitably shielded opening 16 through which material or objects to be heat treated are introduced into the chamber 15, while the rear end 14 is provided with a chute 90 17 through which the objects after being heated are discharged from the furnace into a quenching tank 18, or the like. The particular furnace illustrated is designed to handle bars or lengths of shafting, or the like, and therefore the discharge chute 17 is provided with an offset or bend 19 which operates to control the drop or discharge of objects so that they enter the tank 18 sideways and not one end before the other.

- The apparatus ormechanism provided by the 10o present invention includes, generally, a stationary rack 20 for holding or supporting the objects when they are not in motion, a movable rack 21 for advancing or moving the objects, means 2 2 supporting the movable rack 21 for vertical movel105 ment, means 23 for operating the movable rack 21 vertically through the means 22, means 24 for operating the movable rack A21 horizontally, means 25 for supplying actuating fluid to the means 23 and 24, means 26 interconnecting the means 23 110 and 24 so that their operations are synchronized, and control means 27 for timing the operation of the apparatus or for relating its action to thatof another machine or apparatus.

The stationary rack 20 extends longitudinally through the furnace and preferably projects from the front of the furnace through the opening 16 so that it has a portion at the exterior of the furnace onto which objects can be arranged conveniently. AThe stationary rack preferably includes a plurality of spaced longitudinal elements or rails 28 mounted on the furnace floor 29 to project upwardly a suitable distance therefrom. In the case illustrated the furnace floor is mounted. on suitable beams 30 extending .longitudinally in the furnace. The apparatus illustrated being designed particularly to handle bars, or like objects, the upper edges or faces of the rails are provided with suitably rounded notches 31. The several rails of the stationary rack 20 are parallel to each other and are spaced so that the objects are supported at suitable intervals. The notches 31 in the rails 28 are uniform in size and shape and the notches of the several rails are in line transversely of the furnace.

'I'he movable rack 21 is arranged the furnace to cooperate with the stationary rack to advance objects along the stationary rack or through the furnace. The movable rack 21 comprises primarily one or more rails 32 similar to the rails 28 but adapted to move vertically to lift the objects from the stationary rails and lower them onto the -stationary rails 20 and to move horizontally to shift the positions of the objects longitudinally of the stationary rails 20. In the particular construction illustrated the number and arrangement of rails 32 corresponds with that of the sta- Ationary rails 28, there being a. movable rail adjacent and parallel to each stationary rail. In the particular construction shown the rails 32 are mounted onmovable beams 34 through movable floor sections 35 operable in longitudinal openings or slots 36 provided in the furnace iioor 29. In the particular case illustrated two beams 34 supporteach movable floor section 35 and there are two rails 32 on each floor section 35. 'Ihe upper edges or faces of the rails 32 are provided with notches 37 similar in shape and arrangement to the notches 31 inthe rails 28. In the preferred setting of the apparatus the rails 32 are longitudinally related to the rails '28 so that'the notches of the rails are initially related as illustrated in Fig. 3.v Uponstraight upward or vertical movement of the rails 32 from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 4, the objects are` lifted from the rails 28 by the rails 32 and are rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 4 as they center themselves in the notches 37 of the rails 32. After the movable rails have advancedhorizontally to a position such as is shown in Fig. 5, the movable rails are lowered vertically allowing the objects to be returned to the stationary rails, the notches 31 and 37 being related during'the lowering operation so that the objects are again rotated inthe direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 4 as they center themselves in the Ynotches 31. The letter X is applied to a single object in Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 so that the travel and motion of this object can be readily traced in the drawings.

The means 22 supporting the movable rack 21v is adapted to be operated to move the rack vertically. In the preferred construction the means 22 includes a plurality of shafts 38 mounted transversely below the beams 34 at points spaced 1onconstruction rollers 42 are provided on the outerV ends of the arms 39 to reduce friction between the engagement of the arms and the beams 34.

The means 23 provided for operating the movable rack 21 through the supporting means 22 is a fluid pressure actuated means including, generally, a cylinder 43, a piston 44 operable in the cylinder, and a' control valve 45 for the cylinder and piston mechanism. The cylinder 43 1s mounted at a suitable point, preferably at the forward end of the furnace and a rod 46 carrying the piston 44 is suitably connected or linked to the connecting rod 41 so that movement of the piston in the cylinder causes longitudinal movement of the rod 41. The valve 45 includes, generally, a cylindrical body`47, and a piston valve 48 operable in the body 47. A fluid supply conduit 49 connects with the middle portion of the cylinder 47 while conduits 50 and 51 connect the end portions of the cylinder 47 with the ends of the cylinder 43 as will be apparent from the diagram Fig. 7. An exhaust or discharge line 52 is suitably connected with the cylinder so that when the -supply line 49 is put in communication with either end of 4the cylinder 47 the other end of the cylinder is in communication with the exhaust line 52.

The means 24 provided for operating or moving the movable rack 21 horizontally includes, generally, a cylinder 53, a piston 54 operable in the cylinder, and a control valve 55. The cylinder 53 is preferably mounted at the forward end of the furnace and the rod 56 carrying the`piston 54 is suitably connected or linked-directly to the movable rack 21, say, for instance, to the beams of the rack. With this arrangement movement of the piston 54 in the cylinder 53 causes corresponding movement of the movable rack 21, the rack 21 being `free to move horizontally due to its being supported on rollers as hereinabove described.

The valve 55 includes a cylindrical body 57 carrying a piston valve 58. 'I'he fluid supply line 49 connects with the middle portion'of the cylinder 57 while lines 60- and 61 connect the ends of the cylinder 57 with the ends of the cylinder 53. An exhaust or return line 62 connects with the cylinder 57 in the same manner that the exhaist line 52 connects with the cylinder 45.

The means 25 for supplying actuating lfluid to the means 23 and 24 is preferably a motor pump unit including, generally, an electric motor 66 and a suitable fluid handling `pump 67. This unit may be such as to deliver fluid at acertain vol- `ume and pressure when in operation. In the arrangement illustrated the pump is adapted to draw fluid from a reservoir 68 and deliver it to the uid supply line 49. 'I'he exhaust lines 52 and '62 connect withthe reservoir 68 so that the fluid after circulating through the system is returned to the reservoir.

The means 26 interconnecting the means 23' operates to advance the movable racl horizon-l tally to advance the objects through the furnace whereupon the means 23 functions to allow the movable rack to lower and move down vertically returning the objects to 'the stationary rack in vthe advanced position whereupon the means 24 Ioperates to return'or retract the movable rack to the original or starting position ready for another operation. In the form of the invention shown the means 26 includes, generally,1an arm 69 having one end connected to the stem 70 of valve 58 and the other end related to spaced stops 71 on the rod 46 carrying .the piston 44, and an arm 72 connected to the stem 73 of the valve 48 and related to stops on the piston rod 56 carrying the piston 54. When the operation of the apparatus starts the valve 48 is in position so that fluid is admitted from the supply line 49 to the cylinder 43 to move'the piston in a direction to cause the movable rack 21 to lift or move vertically. As this operation is completed one o f the stops "71 on the piston rod 46'operates the arm 69 soy that the valve 58 is moved in the cylinder 57 so `that fluid is admitted from the supply line 49 to the cylinder 53 to cause the piston 54 to move so that the movable rack advances in the'furnace. As

this operation is completed the arm 72 is operated l by a stop 75 on the rod 56 so 'that thevalve 48 is operated to allow fluid from the supply line 49 to enter the cylinder 43 so that the piston 44 is moved to lower the rack. At the completion of this op- ,and stop valves may be arranged where necessary or desirable. Further, it will be apparent that the'pump 67 employed in the means 25 may be a pump operating to deliver fluid at the desired rate and at the desired pressure to cause operation of the mechanism through the cycle above described in the desired length of time.

The control means 27 is provided to automatically control the mechanism above described either form a suitable timer or in suitable timed relation to other apparatus. For example, in practice it may be desired to have the'present apparatus operate in synchronism with a drawing furnace, or the like. 'I'he control means 27 includes, generally, a magnetic starting switch controlling the motor 66 of means 25 and a timer switch and disconnect switch connected in parallel with the actuating circuit of the 'switch 80. The magnetic starting switch 80 may be any suitable type of switch operable to close the motor circuit upon the switch circuit being closed and to leave the motor circuit closed un'til such time as the switch control circuit is opened. 'I'he timer switch and disconnect switch are connected in parallel in the switch control circuit to control the action of the switch 80. The timer switch illustrated in the drawings is adapted to be driven from any suitable mechanism such as a clock or other machine and includes, generally, a cam to be operated by the clock or other machinefa movable contact 86, a stationary contact 87, and

for each revolution of the cam there is a period during which the contact 86 is in engagement with the contact 87 thus closing the circuit through the timer. The disconnect switch is connected in the control circuit of the switch 80 in with the timer switch and includes, generally, a movable contact 90, a stationary contact 91, and an operating member 92. The contacts 90 and 91 are normally together to close the circuit through the switch. The actuating member 92 is carried by a movable part of the mechanism; for instance, by one of the beams 34 of the movable rack 21 and isV related to the movable contact 90 so that the movable contact is moved away from the contact 91 as .the movable rack is returned to or reaches its original or starting position.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that when the apparatus is in its normal position ready for operation the disconnect switch of the control is open, contact 90 being held away from the contact 91 by the actuating member 92. The valve 48 is positioned in the cylinder 45 so that fluid will be admitted to the cylinder 43- to cause lifting of the movable rack 21 as soon as circulation of uid is started in the system. The parts will all remain at rest until the'timer cam 85 operates to a position allowing the contact 86 to engage thecontact 87 at which time the control circuit for the switch 8() is closed causing actuation of the switch 80 so that the motor 66 is put in operation. As soon as the motor 66 starts operation the pump 67 operates to circulate fluid through the system causing the parts to go through the cycle of operation above described until the movable rack is returned to its original position at which time the actuating member 92 of the disconnect switch opens the circuit to the control switch -80 by moving the contact 90 away from the contact 91, the timer switch having during operation of the apparatus operated so that it is open by the time the movable rack reaches the end of its cycle. It will thus be apparent that in the control means 27 the timer switch operates as a starting switch for closing the circuit to the switch 80, while the disconnect switch operates to open the control circuit at the completion of the cycle of operation of the mechanism. The feature of `this system or arrangement is that the operation of the mechanism is'started at a definite tion of the machine is stopped only upon full completion of the cycle of operation of the machine.

Having described only a typical preferred form of my invention, I do not wish to linut myself to the -specific details set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any changes or variations that may appear to those skilled in the art or fall within the scope of the following claims:

Having described my invention, I claim:

f 1. A material handling device including, a movable rack, fluid pressure actuated means for operating the rack vertically, fluid pressure actuated means for operating the rack horizontally, a source of actuating fluid pressure for supplying uid under pressure to said means, and an electrical control means for controlling the delivery of the actuating uid pressure to said means operable to provide for definite time intervals between successive cycles of operation of said means, the last named means including an actuating part on the rack, and a switch adapted to be operatively engaged by said part.

2. A material handling device including, a movable rack, fluid pressure actuated means for operating the rack vertically, fluid pressure actuating means for operating the rack horizontally, pressure generating means for supplying uid under pressure to both of said fluid pressure actuated means, power means for operating the Ipressure generating means, and an electric 'control operable by the rack for governing the actuation of the power generating means. 3. A material handling device including, a movable rack, uid pressure actuated means for operating the rack vertically, fluid pressure actuated means for operating the rack horizontally. pressure generating means for supplying fluid under pressure to both of said fluid pressure actuated means, a control for thefpressure generat-I ing means including a timer switch to start oper-- ation of the pressure generating means and a disconnect switchoperable by one of said fluid pres-- sure actuated means through the movement olf the rack to stop operation of the pressure generating means.

4. A material handling device including, a movable rack, fluid pressure actuated means for oper-- ating the rack vertically, fluid pressure actuated means for operating the rack horizontally, pressure generating means for supplying vfluid under pressure to bo'th of said fluid pressure actuated means, a control for governing the actuation of the pressure generatingmeans including a timer switch to start operation of the pressure generating means and a disconnect switch to stop operation of the pressure generating means, the disconnect switch being operable by the rack.

5. A device for handling cylindrical or rollable objects including a stationary rack, a movable rack, the racks being adapted to carry the objects, and means for moving the movable rack vertically between positions above and below that of the' stationary rack .and for moving the rack horizontally in said positions to cause the objects to belalternately carried bythe racks and to be 'advanced horizontally, the upper edges of the racks having rounded object carrying notches in which the objects the racks. y

6. A device for handling cylindrical or rollablel objects including a stationary rack, ay movable rack, the racks being adapted to carry the objects and means for moving the movable rack` vertically turn or roll when engaged by between positions above and below that of the .having rounded object carrying notches, the

notches in the two racks being in different hori- .zontal positions whereby the objects roll to the bottoms of the notches when received in the notches.

7. A materialhandling device including a movable rack, fluid pressure actuated means for operating the rack vetically, fluid pressure actuated means for operating the rack horizontally, an interconnection between said means whereby they operate successively through a definite cycle vof operation, pressure generating means for supplying fiuid under pressure 'to both of said uid pressure actuated means, and a control governing operation of the pressure generating means including a timer switch to start operation of the pressure generating means, and a disconnect switch to stop operation of the pressure generating means, the disconnect switch being operable by the rack.

8. A material handling device including a movable rack, fiuid pressure actuated means for operating the rack vertically, fluid pressure actuated means for-operating the rack horizontally, an interconnection between said means whereby they operate successively through a definite cycle of operation, pressure'generating ,means for supplying' fluid under pressure to both of said fluid pressure actuated means, power means for operating the pressure generating means, a starting switch for the power means, a control circuit for controlling the starting switch, atimer switch operable to close said circuit, and a disconnect switchoperable by the rack to open said circuit and Ythereby stop the power means.

9. A conveyor including, -a rack, a fluid pressure actuated mechanism for moving the rack vertically, a fluid pressure actuated mechanism for moving the rack horizontally a source of actuating fluid pressure for operating the mechanisms, and a control including, electrical means for initiating the delivery of actuating uid pressure from said source to the mechanisms, means for suspending the delivery of actuating fluid pressure from said source to the mechanisms, the last named means including an actuating part movable with the rack, and a switch governingl the delivery of actuating uid pressure and operated by said actuating part, and an inter-connection between said mechanisms whereby they voperate successively through a definite cycle of operation.

HARRY F. VICKERS. 

